1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of motor vehicle audio systems, and more particularly, to a system and method for managing an on-board entertainment system.
2. Related Art
Currently, most cars, trucks and vans provide some kind of audio system. These audio systems range from simple systems that include a radio tuner and a basic loudspeaker, to elaborate systems that include sophisticated audio and video electronics. Some of these elaborate systems are capable of playing audio Compact Disks (CD's), Digital Versatile Disks (DVD's) and MiniDiscs.
Single disk systems generally provide a loading slot or some other mechanism that is accessible to the driver to receive a disk. Single disk systems require users to manually change disks to listen to different songs.
These systems can also include disk changers that store multiple disks. Generally, these disks and the songs stored on the disks can be accessed randomly. Disk changer systems provide access to about six to ten CD's; however, a delay is experienced when changing from one disk to another disk. The only way to add songs or change the collection of music that is available in the motor vehicle, is to add another disk to the changer or replace a disk in the changer with a new disk.
Some mobile audio systems include a hard disk drive that is used to store songs. These systems generally include a removable hard disk drive that mates with a docking device in the motor vehicle. To add songs or otherwise update the music collection stored on the hard disk drive, the hard disk drive must be removed from the motor vehicle and docked into a second docking device connected to a home computer. The home computer is used to add songs and to modify the contents of the removable hard disk drive. After all of the changes have been made, the hard disk drive is removed from the docking device connected to the home computer, and re-inserted into the docking device in the motor vehicle.
While current audio systems can provide access to music collections, there are a number of drawbacks and limitations. First, single disk systems and disk changer systems are limited in terms of the amount of music that is available. Single disk systems provide access to only a single disk before requiring a manual disk change. Disk changer systems provide access to at most about ten CD's of music and also require the manual removal, replacement or addition of disks to update the available music collection.
Hard disk drive based systems provide access to larger music collections, but these systems also require manual intervention to add or modify the available music collection. As discussed above, the hard disk drive must be removed, docked with a home computer, removed from the home computer docking device and re-docked inside the motor vehicle. While these systems are capable of being updated, the process is cumbersome and inconvenient.
Current mobile audio systems also lack the capacity to easily and automatically tag or label music files. Manually entering tag information can be time consuming and inconvenient. Existing systems also do not provide easy management of music collections that are on board motor vehicles.
There is currently a need for a system that provides access to a large music collection and is easy to update and modify. There is also a need for a system that can remotely manage an on board music collection and automatically tag or label music files.